1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved caulk finishing tool and particularly to a caulk finishing tool which is adapted to attach to a caulking gun for ready availability and which is adapted to provide a cap for resealing cartridges of caulking material.
2. Description of the Background
In building construction and repair, caulking material is commonly used for sealing joints. On the exterior of buildings, joints are made weatherproof by caulking. On the interior of buildings, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, joints are sealed by caulking to prevent water penetration. There are many and varied construction materials including concrete, wood, glass, tile, etc. The joints to be sealed often occur between unlike materials. Consequently, the caulking is available in many different formulations so that an appropriate one can be selected to adhere properly in any given situation. Typically, caulking material is provided in uniformly sized cartridges, having a nozzle at one end and a movable end piece at the other end. The caulking material is applied with a caulking gun, which is adapted to receive and hold the cartridge and has a ratchet driven push rod to force the movable end piece into the cartridge and toward the nozzle. The parallel or “open” frame caulking gun has a pair of rails connecting a front and a rear portion of the caulking gun. The front portion includes a stop for preventing the cartridge of caulking material from sliding when pressure is applied from the rear and the rear portion includes the ratchet drive mechanism.
Alternatively, the cradle or “half-barrel” design caulking gun has a half-cartridge-shaped cradle connecting the front and rear portions. The push rod protrudes from the rear portion of the caulking gun and normally has a right angle bend, at the distal end, to facilitate pulling the rod from the cartridge, after the caulk material has been expended. Some models include a curved ladder hook, so that the caulking gun may be hung from a ladder rung or other support. In either case, the caulking material comes in an airtight sealed cartridge, to preserve its content and prevent premature drying. The cartridge is opened by cutting the nozzle end and puncturing the seal inside the nozzle with a sharp nail or wire. The end of the nozzle may be cut in a variety of ways to produce a bead of caulking material of a desired size. When the ratchet drive mechanism is advanced, the caulking material is delivered through the nozzle.
When caulking, a variety of other tools are commonly used. For example, areas which require caulking often occur at right angle joints and the caulking material is applied first by using the caulking gun to deposit a bead of caulking material along a section of the joint. Afterward, a finishing tool is used to press the bead into the joint and to skim away the excess caulking material. One existing finishing tool is designed with two flanges joined at an oblique angle, which is slightly greater than 90°.
The tool can be pressed into the joint and moved along the bead of caulking material. The tool presses the caulking material into the joint, for a thorough seal, smoothes the surface and removes the excess caulking material, all in one step. In addition, the tool will not disfigure the surfaces adjacent to the joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,079, to Krause, is an example of a caulk finishing tool of this type, and FIG. 1 herein depicts the '079 tool. Unfortunately, this tool is relatively small, must be carried separately from the caulk gun, and is often lost or misplaced. Moreover, it is common for a workman to arrive at the top of his ladder only to realize that he must descend to retrieve his caulk finishing tool. In addition, once a particular area has been caulked, it is desirable to cap the cartridge to prevent drying of the unused portion. Cartridges of caulking material are generally not provided with means to cap the nozzle, after it has been cut. Plastic caps are available to snap on to the cartridge for sealing the contents, and these typically have a protruding central portion to accommodate the nozzle, and a circular gripping rim. Again, if a workman intends to climb a ladder, caulk a particular area and remain on the ladder to perform some other work, all of the caulking gun and cartridge, the finishing tool, and spare plastic caps must be gathered together and carried up the ladder. For the foregoing reasons, it has long been recognized the of advantage of constructing a multi-purpose tool that can carry the number of separate small tools to a work site and kept within reach during the work. These innovations avoid the necessity of carrying separate tools, misplacing or losing them. This is a great advantage when a workman must climb a ladder to reach the place where caulking material is to be applied. There have been previous caulking guns constructed with an attached rod which can be used to dislodge dried caulking material from the nozzle of the cartridge. However, such rods are not an acceptable substitute for a tool such as shown in the above-described '079 patent. Moreover, no known caulking guns have the ability to dispense or provide a cap for the unspent caulk cartridges.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide an effective caulk finishing tool which removably attached to standard open frame or half-barrel type caulking guns, and which has the dual capacity to dispense or otherwise provide a nozzle cap for the unspent caulk cartridges, all in one convenient readily-accessible tool.